Public input sought for Bethel revitalization efforts

Published 5:38 pm, Friday, September 11, 2015

Bethel officials will hold a series of meetings this fall to give residents more input on revitalization efforts for the donwtown.

Bethel officials will hold a series of meetings this fall to give residents more input on revitalization efforts for the donwtown.

Photo: Carol Kaliff /

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Bethel officials will hold a series of meetings this fall to give residents more input on revitalization efforts for the donwtown.

Bethel officials will hold a series of meetings this fall to give residents more input on revitalization efforts for the donwtown.

Photo: H John Voorhees III / H John Voorhees III

Public input sought for Bethel revitalization efforts

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BETHEL — As part of an effort to give residents and businesses more control over the redevelopment of the downtown, economic development officials are holding a series of public meetings next month.

Janice Chrzescijanek, the town’s economic development director, said the meetings are more than just an opportunity for the public to provide their input into redevelopment efforts, which have been dubbed “Bethel Forward,” but an opportunity to collaborate with those who are developing the plans.

“It’s important for the public to know that this is their project, we are just the ones helping to facilitate it,” said Chrzescijanek. “It’s really up to the public to decide what they want to see their downtown.”

Chrzescijanek explained that the meetings are designed to provide a more collaborative atmosphere and are planned to build off each other as the process moves forward. Small groups of about 10 residents each will meet with land use officials and consultants during the meetings.

“It’s a lot easier to have a dialogue with people in smaller groups rather than with a large audience,” she said.

The first meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 1 at the Clifford Hurgin Municipal Center and will be used to gather initial visions and to collect ideas from residents about downtown revitalization efforts. Because of the smaller groups, residents are free to bring in photos, maps and other examples that help to illustrate their ideas, she said.

The second meeting, which will be held on Oct. 29, will also include small groups who will more fully explore the issues and opportunities surrounding ideas presented during the initial meeting.

The effort will culminate with an intensive week long community charrette from Nov. 16 to Nov. 20 that will include a host of sessions during each day on a variety of different topics and ideas that have been developed as part of the process.

While the revitalization effort began as an effort to create a transit-oriented district near the train station, Chrzescijanek said officials quickly realized the need to expand the effort to the entire downtown area.

“In the end, we decided that any new development that happens has to coordinate with and help support and grow the existing downtown,” Town Planner Steve Palmer has said. “The goal of the project has always been to strengthen our existing downtown while maintaining its historic character for sustainable future growth.”

Town officials have secured $250,000 for the effort, which includes a $100,000 state grant and money from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which is funded with state dollars. The town selected Miami-based DPZ Partners out of more than a dozen bids to conduct the work.